An Antrim man was contacted via Instagram by a scammer purporting to be Prince Harry who demanded his passport details.
The scammer offered to donate a large sum of money to the victim’s charity of choice.
Police and Scamwise NI are again warning people to be vigilant and treat calls, texts and emails with caution.
The latest scam comes following the launch of the booklets, ‘The Little Book of Cyber Scams’ and ‘The Little Book of Phone Scams’ aimed at helping the public protect themselves from scammers.
They have been launched alongside a practical Pocket Guide to Mobile Device Security, developed by the NI Cyber Security Centre.
Chair of the ScamwiseNI Partnership Chief Superintendent Simon Walls said all scammers have the same aim, which is to swindle people out of their money.
“The public must be on their guard constantly against the very real risk of fraud, whether that is from doorstep callers, telephone, mail or online means. Education is our best weapon in helping to prevent people from becoming victims.”
Joe Dolan, head of NI Cyber Security Centre added: “The Pocket Guide to Device Security contains information on some of the most common cyber threats and lots of helpful advice, including eight key tips that the public can take to improve the security of their mobile devices and protect the data stored on them.
“The Pocket Guide is part of the centre’s ongoing commitment to providing advice and guidance to citizens to help them become more cyber safe, secure and resilient.”
The booklets are available to download from the link below:
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/scams
You can also view the Pocket Guide at
www.nicybersecuritycentre.gov.uk/mobile-security.
